For all my Twilight fans that put me on author alert; just in case you're looking at this and going "What the hell is she doing, starting another story when she hasn't finished the other one?" I'll just admit it: I lost all inspiration for that and it doesn't seem like its coming back. So since a few friends have been wanting me to put this up for a while, here it goes…

Prologue

Boom

I ducked and weaved through the hailstorm of pebbles that were the result of a misfired lightning bolt from the wand of the tall, black-robed wizard that had appeared out of the blue and demanded to speak to me. I didn't like him from the minute I saw him, and it turns out my suspicions were not unfounded. The second I showed my face I was greeted with a bolt of lightning. It was a good thing that Cynder pulled me out of the way in time. I could feel the static electricity in the air as it passed me and blew a hole in the rock face I was standing against.

Cynder and I launched ourselves into the air and made barrel rolls in opposite directions, hoping the wizard would get sloppy and fire randomly.

No such luck. I looked down to see him aiming carefully at Cynder. She was still coming out of her roll, and was turned in the other direction.

"Cynder, watch out!" She quickly swiveled in midair, trying to avoid the attack, but to my horror, she was clipped in the left wing and went down.

The mysterious wizard then turned and shot at the rock ledge above my head, probably trying to crush me under the avalanche, is why I was dancing my way through a rain of gravel.

Through the dust I could see the vague outline of the wizard and I rushed at it, hoping I could knock him off his feet, but I soon realized it was just smoke. I tried to spot him, but the cloud of dust made it impossible to see anything.

I turned just in time to get a good look at the lightning bolt rushing at me before it slammed into my chest and fried my nerve endings, making my muscles seize up and effectively immobilizing me. As I lay twitching, trying regain control of my limbs, the wizard glided out of wreckage of the cliff to stand over me. The static electricity was once more gathering at his fingertips, ready to give me the final blow.

Looking up at him, all I could say was "Why?"

"Why? That is not for me to tell you, even if I were trusted enough to know. My master has forbidden that knowledge to all but his most trusted advisors" His sneer grew, "Of which I will soon be one, one I kill you."

He gave a cruel chuckle, "Your friends might yet come to save you! It does take quite a while to build up enough energy to kill a dragon in one blow." His eyes narrowed, "Pity for you it won't happen."

He raised both hands, now glowing energy and I closed my eyes, preparing for my final moments. There was a pause in which I could hear my heartbeat, and then a loud "Ooomph!"

I cracked my eyelids and lo and behold, Cynder had charged the wizard and managed to gore him with her horns and Sparxx, in an uncharacteristic show of bravery, went his eyes. Together they harried him to the ground, and I, being able to move again, took to my feet to help finish him off.

There was still that fighting spirit I could see in his eyes as I stood over him and gathered my breath to char him to a crisp.

"You have won but half the battle, small one. Let's see if you have the brains to go with those powers!"

He shut his eyes and laid his head back as if waiting for the inevitable, confused at his apparent surrender, I took another tentative step closer. Cynder and Sparxx, feeling him relax, let go and backed up to stand beside me.

Just as I was about to release my breath on him, his eyes snapped open and my breath caught in my throat. His eyes…they were glowing scarlet. They so entranced me that I could do no more than stand there and stare into them. I didn't notice him chanting an incantation, didn't notice the tugs and scratches Cynder gave me to get me to look away. I just wanted to sink, to drown in the depths of those pools of light.

And then the wizard stopped his chanting, and I was. I was falling blissfully through a tunnel of crimson silk, oblivious to the screams of Cynder and Sparxx, spinning and whirling and dropping until it all faded to black…